Gracie at the Bat

Old-time baseball player Clyde becomes the manager of a girl's softball team in this comedy that plays to his strength as a comic reactor. Lots of good jokes, far more believable situations than most Columbia comedy shorts, probably due to Charley Chase as one of the producers. Highly recommended.

Andy Clyde started out in the silent era working for Sennet, but the sound era found him toiling in the short subjects department of Columbia, as well as the usual supporting roles as comic western sidekick, plus good roles wherever a Scotchman was needed -- he is easily found in the RKO version of Barrie's THE LITTLE MINISTER. His number of Columbia shorts is exceeded only by the Three Stooges, and are much better, based on better acting and a wider range of comic takes. They're getting a little difficult to find, but are worth the time of anyone who enjoys good comedy.

I was pleasantly surprised by this short. Andy Clyde was a terrific performer, as we know from his many TV appearances late in his career. But the Columbia Comedy shorts department was no place for subtlety, and poor Andy ended up being used as a human punching bag/contortionist in most of his shorts, which often border on unwatchable due to the violent abuse that he endures.

"Gracie at the Bat" has real heart, and the relationship between Andy and his wife Gracie (a fine performance by Leora Thatcher--spelled "Thacher" on the films' credits) is both real and touching. Of course, Gracie's late-inning powerhouse performance on the baseball field is straight out of the world of cartoony-slapstick, but the tone of the film up until that point has been so sincere that you end up cheering her on despite the impossibility of her antics.

I also appreciated the opening sequence, which shows the former baseball great (Andy) in his present day role as grounds keeper, who grows wistful as he discusses his glory days with a much younger player...whose dad just happens to be one of Andy's former team mates.

Undoubtedly, the co-producing team of Charlie Chase and Hugh McCollum were responsible for the comparatively gentle tone of this short, which was directed by Del Lord, who usually unleashed holy hell on poor Andy.

But this film---for once---allows us to sit back and enjoy the fine comedic talents of Mr. Clyde without worrying what disaster may befall him next.

LR

What I remember most about this flick was that the two girls' softball teams were the Fairmont Fillies (of which Andy "Pop" Clyde was manager) and the Camden Canaries. These team names were cute AND struck close to home, as I am from Philadelphia. "Fillies" may have BEEN TAKE OFF ON PHILADELPHIA'S MOST ILLUSTRIOUS PHILLIES. Fairmont Park is part of Philadelphia, and Camden, New Jersey is just across the Delaware River.

this was interesting word play, to be sure. It made the movie even more interesting. Have not seen it on TV in decades, though I DO Remember MANY of Andy Clyde's short films that USED to be televised. At all events, a cut